Turkey has reportedly denied an American LGBTQ+ cruise ship access to two of its ports, citing the country's "moral values." The decision marks a recent instance of the Turkish government's increasingly firm position regarding the LGBTQ+ community.
The cruise, organized by Los Angeles-based Atlantis Events and scheduled to stop in the western Turkish port of Kuşadası on July 7, will now reroute to Cairo, Egypt, and the Greek island of Crete. The voyage, named "Athens to Venice," was set to include a stop in Istanbul as well.
Local authorities in Turkey stated that the planned port calls were canceled because the chartered vessel was booked by groups whose "behaviors are incompatible with the fabric of our society and our moral values." Officials in the Aydin province, which includes Kuşadası, declared there was "absolutely no possibility of the group in question visiting our province for an event of this nature."
The ship, the "Scarlet Lady," is operated by Virgin Voyages and was expected to carry approximately 1,900 passengers on its 10-day Mediterranean journey. Around 1,100 passengers were anticipated to travel from the United States, with others from the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
Rich Campbell, President and CEO of Atlantis Events, expressed surprise at the denial, noting that it is the first time in the company's 36-year history of operating LGBTQ+-focused cruises that they have been prevented from docking due to the identity of their passengers. He stated that the cruise is not intended as a political statement and that passengers plan to visit local attractions and businesses respectfully.
Turkish authorities have intensified crackdowns on LGBTQ+ events in recent years under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's administration. Pride marches in Istanbul have been banned since 2015, with officials citing security and public safety concerns.
The itinerary change was communicated to passengers on Thursday, following the cancellation of both planned port calls by Turkish authorities.